DESCRIPTION (Taken from the application) The Molecular Biology Core facility is composed of three components plus a sub-core directed by Dr. Kasahara, who will supervise generation of viral based gene delivery systems. The Molecular Biology Core facility supports three major classes of activities. The first major class of activity is focused on developing specific reagents to express cDNAs of interest. We are a campus wide resource for preparation of Xenopus laevis oocytes for RNA based expression studies and bacterial expression of recombinant proteins. We have added baculovirus expression and are developing inducible regulated expression systems for mammalian cell lines. In addition, we have planned a new sub-core directed by the new Co- Director, who will direct development of viral based gene delivery systems. This component also performs all the subcloning activities required to support the different expression systems listed above. The second component is a Molecular Biology Guidance and Resource Center, which introduces and guides investigators in utilizing molecular biological techniques who have no or limited experience. Included in these services are searching databases for sequence homologies and designing primers for PCR amplification and DNA sequencing. The third component of the Molecular Biology Core facility is operational management of sophisticated equipment needed in routine molecular biological studies.